DOCUMENTATION

From rPath Wiki

rMake architecture consists of a local rMake repository, transient chroots for each rMake build, and the rMake server. A developer uses the rMake commands to instruct the rMake server to start rMake builds and to commit those builds to an upstream repository. The rMake server uses the local rMake repository and chroots for these rMake builds.

See rMake:Workflow to view how these pieces are used in typical development operations.

rMake tools are available from the command line after rMake is installed on a designated build system. Additionally, rPath's rBuilder tool incorporates rMake functionality for building appliances and derivative distributions (see rMake with rBuilder).

rMake chroot and Users

Each rMake chroot is created during an rMake build using the build requirements specified by the package or group to be built. rMake caches the troves downloaded for the chroot in /var/rmake/cscache. The chroot is deleted by default when the rMake build completes successfully, and the cached files can be deleted without adverse affects.

rMake runs as the user rmake. rMake creates the chroot with the help of a setuid program chroothelper, and it then runs inside of the chroot as user rmake-chroot. All the files in the chroot are owned by the user rmake, but the user in the chroot is rmake-chroot. With this structure, a developer can avoid inadvertently destroying the root while building, but it still does not have to create the chroot as the root user.

rMake with rBuilder

rBuilder incorporates rMake functions in its interface and makes those available from a link on the project panel. rBuilder displays an rMake panel on the right side of each rBuilder page while the rMake build is constructed.

To use rMake in rBuilder, rMake must be installed and started on the developer's local machine. See rBuilder:Appliance Development for reference and instruction on using rMake together with rBuilder.